Story of the Week
While Irish politics was in something of a post-presidential election lull (that will not last) there were significant developments across the pond with the Democratic Party bouncing back with some key wins in various elections in the United States.
Perhaps the most high profile – and certainly most unusual – was democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani winning the mayoral election in New York – the city at the heart of capitalism in the United States.
In his victory speech he said: “For as long as we can remember, the working people of New York have been told by the wealthy and well connected that power does not belong in their hands.”
He added: “Tonight, against all odds, we have grasped it. The future is in our hands.”
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Mamdani’s policies include rent control, free bus transport and guaranteed child care.
His victory came despite US president Donald Trump claiming the new mayor of his home city a communist and threatening to pull federal funding from New York.
Mamdani’s success was not the only Democratic Party win last Tuesday.
In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger succeeded Republican Glenn Youngkin as governor, and in New Jersey another Democrat, Mikie Sherrill, won her gubernatorial election against GOP opponent Jack Ciattarelli.
Elsewhere, California voted to approve the Prop 50 amendment to the state’s congressional district map.
The adjustment could help Democrats win an added five House of Representatives seats in next year’s more important midterm elections.
The amendment was pushed by California’s governor Gavin Newsom and it came in response to electoral map redraws in Texas brought in by Republicans there.
Should Trump get a bloody nose in the mid-terms next year, Newsom – widely seen as a possible future presidential candidate for the Democrats – will get much of the credit boosting his prospects for a potential White House run in 2028.
Back home there is a new housing plan due – perhaps as early as next week – and of course there is a major political set-piece that only happens once every seven years.
Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly will be inaugurated as Ireland’s 10th president on Tuesday.
Bust Up
The fallout from Fianna Fáil’s disastrous presidential election, which sparked rumblings about the future of Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s leadership of the party, continued this week.
While Martin was away at the Cop30 international climate summit in Brazil, a number of Fianna Fáil politicians expressed anger that they featured on a so-called “naughty list” of party rebels. As Harry McGee reported, the matter was raised at Fianna Fáil’s parliamentary party meeting by Cork East TD James O’Connor, one of the 13 or so parliamentary members who were on the list apparently drawn up by an adviser to a Minister, whose identity remains unknown.
There is an ongoing review into the presidential election, which was mooted to be complete by November 12th. With Martin due back in the country, next week’s parliamentary party meeting may well – to use the political euphemism – be a robust one. As for what Martin makes of the supposed “naughty list”? He told reporters in Brazil: “I abhor any references to lists or anything like that. I made that very clear last week. I’m here as Taoiseach of the country to lead Ireland’s contribution to Cop. That’s what I’m focused on”.
That’s all very well but does any of this affect me?
We all hope to avoid any entanglements with Ireland’s courts system, but should it happen most people would hope whatever the issue is will be dealt with quickly. Efforts are being made to reduce delays. In the Dáil on Thursday Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan spoke of plans to appoint 21 new judges, as Marie O’Halloran reports.
He outlined how a previous recruitment of 24 judges helped bring about a 33 per cent increase in the number of family law cases resolved in the District Court and an additional 13 per cent of criminal cases resolved, also in the District Court. Sinn Féin justice spokesman Matt Carthy did make the point that “there also needs to be a corresponding increase in court service staff to ensure that delays are reduced”. But it is an example of the kinds of things that come up in Leinster House every week that have an impact beyond the Dáil chamber.
Banana Skin
The Government’s long-awaited housing plan may finally be unveiled next week. Minister for Housing James Browne has of course long said he was not waiting around for the plan to be finalised to take action – pointing to already announced measures including reforms to the rental sector.
However, the housing crisis has plagued successive governments for a decade and it shows little sign of abating soon. Indeed the Department of Finance’s Future Forty report on Ireland’s fiscal and economic outlook predicted the housing crisis is likely to persist for at least another 15 years. Browne was bullish on this during the week insisting he is still trying to “end the housing crisis” in his ministerial term. The Government’s housing plan is the opportunity to set out how this will be done.
The Government still has as many as four years to go so it has some time to make progress. But housing is still perilous ground for the Coalition and voters’ tolerance will likely run thin by 2029 should they not see tangible results when it comes to bricks and mortar and more people securing homes.
Winners and Losers
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett was welcomed back to the Dáil this week after successful treatment for throat cancer. On Wednesday he raised the issue of oncology services and the need for new radiotherapy machinery, having been asked to do so by medical staff during his own cancer care. Boyd Barrett is a dedicated public representative who is popular with colleagues across the political spectrum. He is this week’s winner.
As for losers, it may well be all of us this week as world leaders – though not as many as previously – assembled in the Amazon city of Belém, Brazil for the Cop30 climate summit.
A UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) report on the eve of the gathering outlined how only modest progress has been made by countries on climate pledges to reduce carbon emissions, “leaving the world heading for a serious escalation of climate risks and damages”. The UNEP says global warming projections over this century are now at 2.3 to 2.5 degrees above pre-industrial times – if countries fully deliver on commitments. This, however, would make large parts of the planet unliveable. On Thursday Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Cop30 summit that he is concerned that world leaders are losing their appetite for action on the climate crisis.
The Big Read
Ellen Coyne has a big interview with Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns in Saturday’s newspaper on the prospects for the united left alliance and her return from maternity leave.
Hear Here
On Wednesday’s podcast presenter Hugh Linehan spoke to LBC broadcaster Iain Dale about his new book, The Taoiseach: A Century of Political Leadership.
